Tray destacker

Abstract

A tray destacker is operable to separate individual trays from a stack of trays and to discharge the individual trays. The tray destacker includes a tray separating device which engages an edge or handle of the individual tray and moves the tray away from the stack of trays, while a tray retaining device engages a next tray adjacent to the individual tray and retains the remaining trays of the stack. The tray separating device may be biased toward an engaging position so as to engage the individual tray when the trays and the tray separating device are in an appropriate position relative to one another. The tray retaining device may also be biased to engage the next tray and may release the next tray in response to the tray separating device returning to the stack of trays to remove the next tray from the stack.

1. A tray destacking device for destacking an individual tray from a stack of at least partially nested trays, each of the trays having a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion, said tray destacking device comprising:
 a tray supporting device for supporting a stack of at least two at least partially nested trays, said tray supporting device being inclined and supporting the stack of trays along an inclined support surface; and  
 a tray separating device operable to separate and discharge individual trays from the stack of trays, said tray separating device being movable between an engaging position for engaging the first engaging portion of an individual tray of the stack of trays and a disengaging position remote from the first engaging portion of the trays supported by said tray supporting device, said separating device being biased toward said engaging position by a first biasing member and movable to said engaging position when generally aligned with the first engaging portion of said individual tray in response to said first biasing member, wherein said tray separating device is operable to engage the first engaging portion of said individual tray and exert a force at the first engaging portion generally in a separating direction along the stack of trays.  
 
     
     
       2. The tray destacking device of  claim 1  including a tray retaining device for retaining the stack of trays on said tray supporting device while said tray separating device separates the individual tray from the stack of trays. 
     
     
       3. The tray destacking device of  claim 2 , wherein said tray supporting device comprises a conveyor which is operable to move the stack of trays to an aligned position along said tray supporting device with respect to at least one of said tray separating device and said tray retaining device. 
     
     
       4. The tray destacking device of  claim 2 , wherein said tray retaining device is movable between a retaining position where said tray retaining device engages the second engaging portion of a tray of the stack of trays and a released position where said tray retaining device is remote from the second engaging portion of the trays supported by said tray supporting device. 
     
     
       5. The tray destacking device of  claim 4 , wherein said tray retaining device is biased toward said retaining position by a second biasing member, said tray retaining device being movable to said retaining position in response to said second biasing member to engage the second engaging portion of a next tray adjacent to said individual tray when said tray separating device moves said individual tray in said separating direction. 
     
     
       6. The tray destacking device of  claim 1 , wherein said tray separating device comprises at least one engaging member which is pivotable between said engaging position and said disengaging position. 
     
     
       7. The tray destacking device of  claim 6 , wherein said at least one engaging member of said tray separating device is movable along said tray separating device between said discharge end of said tray supporting device and a discharge end of said tray separating device. 
     
     
       8. The tray destacking device of  claim 7 , wherein said at least one engaging member comprises a camming surface for engaging an upper edge of the stack of trays to pivot said at least one engaging member to said disengaging position as said at least one engaging member moves toward a position generally aligned with said first engaging portion of said individual tray. 
     
     
       9. The tray destacking device of  claim 8 , wherein said at least one engaging member of said tray separating device comprises an engaging surface, said first biasing member pivoting said at least one engaging member to pivot said engaging surface into engagement with said first engaging portion in response to said at least one engaging member arriving at said generally aligned position. 
     
     
       10. The tray destacking device of  claim 7  including a tray retaining device for retaining the stack of trays on said tray supporting device while said tray separating device separates the individual tray from the stack of trays, said tray retaining device being pivotally mounted at a discharge end of said tray supporting device. 
     
     
       11. The tray destacking device of  claim 10 , wherein said tray retaining device is pivotable between a retaining position where said tray retaining device engages the second engaging portion of a tray of the stack of trays and a released position where said tray retaining device is remote from the second engaging portion of the trays supported by said tray supporting device. 
     
     
       12. The tray destacking device of  claim 11 , wherein said tray separating device comprises a releasing member which is adapted to engage and pivot said tray retaining device toward said released position as said at least one engaging member moves toward said generally aligned position. 
     
     
       13. The tray destacking device of  claim 12 , wherein said tray retaining device includes a second biasing member which biases said tray retaining device toward said retaining position. 
     
     
       14. The tray destacking device of  claim 13 , wherein said second biasing member pivots said tray retaining device to said retaining position in response to said releasing member moving in said separating direction and disengaging from said tray retaining device. 
     
     
       15. A tray destacking device for destacking an individual tray from a stack of at least partially nested trays, each of the trays having a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion, said tray destacking device comprising:
 a tray supporting device for supporting a stack of at least two at least partially nested trays;  
 a tray separating device operable to separate and discharge individual trays from the stack of trays, said tray separating device being movable between an engaging position for engaging the first engaging portion of an individual tray of the stack of trays and a disengaging position remote from the first engaging portion of the trays supported by said tray supporting device, said separating device being biased toward said engaging position by a first biasing member and movable to said engaging position when generally aligned with the first engaging portion of said individual tray in response to said first biasing member, wherein said tray separating device is operable to engage the first engaging portion of said individual tray and exert a force at the first engaging portion generally in a separating direction along the stack of trays; and  
 a tilt mechanism positioned adjacent said tray supporting device, said tilt mechanism being operable to tilt a vertically oriented stack of trays onto said tray supporting device.  
 
     
     
       16. The tray destacking device of  claim 15 , wherein said tray supporting device is inclined and operable to move the stack of trays upward along the incline to a destacking position. 
     
     
       17. The tray destacking device of  claim 16 , wherein said separating direction defines a first angle with respect to horizontal and said tray supporting device defines a second angle with respect to horizontal, said first angle being greater than said second angle. 
     
     
       18. The tray destacking device of  claim 17 , wherein said tray separating device moves said individual tray from said tray supporting device, said tray separating device pivoting said individual tray to a generally upright orientation after said individual tray has been removed from said tray supporting device. 
     
     
       19. The tray destacking device of  claim 1 , wherein said tray separating device moves to said disengaging position to release said individual tray at a discharge end of said tray separating device. 
     
     
       20. A tray destacking device for destacking an individual tray from a stack of at least partially nested trays, the stack of trays defining a stack direction, each of the trays having a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion which are generally within respective planes that are generally normal to said stack direction, said tray destacking device comprising:
 a tray supporting device for supporting a stack of at least two at least partially nested trays, said tray supporting device being inclined and supporting the stack of trays along an inclined support surface; and  
 a tray separating device operable to separate and discharge individual trays from the stack of trays, said tray separating device being operable to engage the first engaging portion of an individual tray and to exert a separating force at the first engaging portion generally in said stack direction to remove the individual tray from the stack of trays.  
 
     
     
       21. The tray destacking device of  claim 20  including a tray retaining device operable to engage the second engaging portion of a tray, said tray retaining device engaging the second engaging portion of a next tray adjacent to said individual tray to retain the remaining trays of the stack of trays when said tray separating device moves said individual tray generally in said stack direction. 
     
     
       22. The tray destacking device of  claim 21 , wherein said tray supporting device comprises a conveyor which is operable to move the stack of trays to a destacking position along said tray supporting device with respect to at least one of said tray separating device and said tray retaining device. 
     
     
       23. A tray destacking device for destacking an individual tray from a stack of at least partially nested trays, the stack of trays defining a stack direction, each of the trays having a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion which are generally within respective planes that are generally normal to said stack direction, said tray destacking device comprising:
 a tray supporting device for supporting a stack of at least two at least partially nested trays;  
 a tray separating device operable to separate and discharge individual trays from the stack of trays, said tray separating device being operable to engage the first engaging portion of an individual tray and to exert a separating force at the first engaging portion generally in said stack direction to remove the individual tray from the stack of trays; and  
 a tilt mechanism positioned adjacent to said tray supporting device, said tilt mechanism being operable to tilt a vertically oriented stack of trays onto said tray supporting device.  
 
     
     
       24. The tray destacking device of  claim 23 , wherein said tray supporting device is inclined and operable to move the stack of trays upward along the incline to said destacking position. 
     
     
       25. The tray destacking device of  claim 20 , wherein said tray separating device moves to disengage from the first engaging portion of said individual tray to release said individual tray at a discharge end of said tray separating device. 
     
     
       26. The tray destacking device of  claim 20 , wherein said tray separating device comprises at least one engaging member which is pivotable between said engaging position and said disengaging position. 
     
     
       27. The tray destacking device of  claim 26 , wherein said at least one engaging member moves along said tray separating device between said discharge end of said tray supporting device and a discharge end of said tray separating device. 
     
     
       28. The tray destacking device of  claim 27 , wherein said at least one engaging member comprises a camming surface for engaging an upper edge of the stack of trays to pivot said at least one engaging member to said disengaging position as said at least one engaging member moves toward a position generally aligned with said first engaging portion of said individual tray. 
     
     
       29. The tray destacking device of  claim 28 , wherein said at least one engaging member comprises an engaging surface, said at least one engaging member being biased to pivot said engaging surface into engagement with said first engaging portion by a first biasing member in response to said at least one engaging member arriving at said generally aligned position. 
     
     
       30. The tray destacking device of  claim 29  including at least one retaining arm operable to retain the stack of trays on said tray supporting device as said at least one engaging member separates and removes said individual tray from the stack of trays. 
     
     
       31. The tray destacking device of  claim 30 , wherein said at least one retaining arm is pivotable between a retaining position wherein said at least one retaining arm engages and retains the stack of trays on said tray supporting device and a released position where said at least one retaining arm is disengaged from the stack of trays on said tray supporting device. 
     
     
       32. The tray destacking device of  claim 31 , wherein said at least one engaging member comprises a release member which is adapted to engage and pivot said at least one retaining arm toward said released position in response to said at least one engaging member moving toward said generally aligned position. 
     
     
       33. The tray destacking device of  claim 32 , wherein said at least one retaining arm is biased toward said retaining position by a second biasing member. 
     
     
       34. The tray destacking device of  claim 33 , wherein said second biasing member pivots said at least one retaining arm to said retaining position in response to said at least one engaging member and maid release member moving generally in said stack direction away from said at least one retaining arm. 
     
     
       35. A tray destacking device for destacking an individual tray from a stack of at least partially nested trays, each of the trays having a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion, said tray destacking device comprising:
 a tray supporting device for supporting a stack of at least two at least partially nested trays;  
 a tray retaining device pivotable between a retaining position where said tray retaining device engages the first engaging portion of a tray of the stack of trays and a released position where said tray retaining device is remote from the first engaging portion of the trays supported by said tray supporting device; and  
 a tray separating device operable to separate and discharge individual trays from the stack of trays, said tray separating device comprising at least one separating member which is pivotable between an engaging position for engaging the second engaging portion of an individual tray of the stack of trays and a disengaging position remote from the second engaging portion of the trays supported by said tray supporting device, said at least one separating member being operable to engage the second engaging portion of said individual tray and exert a force at the second engaging portion generally in a separating direction along the stack of trays, said tray retaining device pivoting to said retaining position to engage the first engaging portion of a next tray adjacent to said individual tray as said at least one separating member moves relative to and away from said tray retaining device in said separating direction, wherein said tray retaining device is pivotally mounted at said tray supporting device and said at least one separating member is movable along said tray separating device between said discharge end of said tray supporting device and a discharge end of said tray separating device.  
 
     
     
       36. The tray destacking device of  claim 35 , wherein said at least one separating member includes a camming surface for engaging an upper edge of the stack of trays to pivot said at least one separating member to said disengaging position as said at least one separating member moves toward a position generally aligned with said second engaging portion of said individual tray. 
     
     
       37. The tray destacking device of  claim 36 , wherein said at least one separating member includes an engaging surface, said at least one separating member being biased to pivot said engaging surface into engagement with said second engaging portion by a first biasing member in response to said at least one separating member arriving at said generally aligned position. 
     
     
       38. The tray destacking device of  claim 37 , wherein said at least one separating member includes a releasing member which is adapted to engage and pivot said tray retaining device toward said released position as said at least one separating member moves toward said generally aligned position. 
     
     
       39. The tray destacking device of  claim 38 , wherein said tray retaining device is biased toward said retaining position by a second biasing member. 
     
     
       40. The tray destacking device of  claim 39 , wherein said second biasing member pivots said tray retaining device to said retaining position in response to said at least one separating member and said releasing member moving relative to said tray retaining device in said separating direction. 
     
     
       41. The tray destacking device of  claim 35 , wherein said at least one separating member moves to engage the second engaging surface of said individual tray in a plane defined along the second engaging surface which is generally normal to said separating direction. 
     
     
       42. The tray destacking device of  claim 41 , wherein said tray retaining device moves to engage the first engaging surface of the nest adjacent tray in a second plane defined along the first engaging surface which is generally normal to said separating direction. 
     
     
       43. The tray destacking device of  claim 35 , wherein said tray supporting device comprises a conveyor which is operable to move the stack of trays to an aligned position along said tray supporting device with respect to at least one of said tray separating device and said tray retaining device. 
     
     
       44. A tray destacking device for destacking an individual tray from a stack of at least partially nested trays, each of the trays having a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion, said tray destacking device comprising:
 a tray supporting device for supporting a stack of at least two at least partially nested trays;  
 a tray retaining device pivotable between a retaining position where said tray retaining device engages the first engaging portion of a tray of the stack of trays and a released position where said tray retaining device is remote from the first engaging portion of the trays supported by said tray supporting device;  
 a tray separating device operable to separate and discharge individual trays from the stack of trays, said tray separating device comprising at least one separating member which is pivotable between an engaging position for engaging the second engaging portion of an individual tray of the stack of trays and a disengaging position remote from the second engaging portion of the trays supported by said tray supporting device, said at least one separating member being operable to engage the second engaging portion of said individual tray and exert a force at the second engaging portion generally in a separating direction along the stack of trays, said tray retaining device being pivotable to said retaining position to engage the first engaging portion of a next tray adjacent to said individual tray in response to said at least one separating member moving relative to said tray retaining device in said separating direction, said tray supporting device comprising a conveyor which is operable to move the stack of trays to an aligned position along said tray supporting device with respect to at least one of said tray separating device and said tray retaining device; and  
 a tilt mechanism positioned adjacent said tray supporting device, said tilt mechanism being operable to tilt a vertically oriented stack of trays onto said tray supporting device.  
 
     
     
       45. The tray destacking device of  claim 44 , wherein said tray supporting device is inclined and operable to move the stack of trays upward along the incline to said aligned position. 
     
     
       46. The tray destacking device of  claim 45 , wherein said separation direction defines a first angle with respect to horizontal and said tray supporting device defines a second angle with respect to horizontal, said first angle being greater than said second angle. 
     
     
       47. The tray destacking device of  claim 46 , wherein said tray separating device moves said individual tray from said tray supporting device, said tray separating device pivoting said individual tray to a generally upright orientation after said individual tray has been removed from said tray supporting device. 
     
     
       48. The tray destacking device of  claim 47 , wherein said separating member moves along said tray separating device to said disengaging position to release said individual tray at a discharge end of said tray separating device. 
     
     
       49. A tray destacking device for destacking an individual tray from a stack of at least partially nested trays, each of the trays having a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion, said tray destacking device comprising:
 a tray supporting device for supporting a stack of at least two at least partially nested trays;  
 a tray retaining device pivotable between a retaining position where said tray retaining device engages the first engaging portion of a tray of the stack of trays and a released position where said tray retaining device is remote from the first engaging portion of the trays supported by said tray supporting device; and  
 a tray separating device operable to separate and discharge individual trays from the stack of trays, said tray separating device comprising at least one separating member which is pivotable between an engaging position for engaging the second engaging portion of an individual tray of the stack of trays and a disengaging position remote from the second engaging portion of the trays supported by said tray supporting device, said at least one separating member being operable to engage the second engaging portion of said individual tray and exert a force at the second engaging portion generally in a separating direction along the stack of trays, said tray retaining device pivoting to said retaining position to engage the first engaging portion of a next tray adjacent to said individual tray as said at least one separating member moves relative to and away from said tray retaining device in said separating direction, wherein said tray supporting device is inclined and supports the stack of trays along an inclined support surface.  
 
     
     
       50. The tray destacking device of  claim 49 , wherein said inclined tray supporting device comprises an inclined conveyor that is operable to convey the stack of trays toward said tray separating device. 
     
     
       51. The tray destacking device of  claim 49 , wherein said inclined support surface is an a first angle relative to horizontal and said separating direction is at a second angle relative to horizontal. 
     
     
       52. The tray destacking device  claim 51 , wherein said second angle is greater than said first angle. 
     
     
       53. The tray destacking device of  claim 1 , wherein said inclined tray supporting device comprises an inclined conveyor that is operable to convey the stack of trays toward said tray separating device. 
     
     
       54. The tray destacking device of  claim 1 , wherein said inclined support surface is an a first angle relative to horizontal and said separating direction is at a second angle relative to horizontal. 
     
     
       55. The tray destacking device of  claim 54 , wherein said second angle is greater than said first angle. 
     
     
       56. The tray destacking device of  claim 20 , wherein said inclined tray supporting device comprises an inclined conveyor that is operable to convey the stack of trays toward said tray separating device. 
     
     
       57. The tray destacking device of  claim 20 , wherein said inclined support surface is an a first angle relative to horizontal and said tray separating device moves the individual tray along a second angle relative to horizontal. 
     
     
       58. The tray destacking device of  claim 57 , wherein said second angle is greater than said first angle.